Douching-speculum.



No. 643,22l. Patented Feb. l3, I900.

' L. J. CHAPMAN.

DOUCHING SPECULUM.

(Application filed Aug. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Starts a'rnr 1 tries.

DOUCHlNG=SPECULUl\/l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,221, dated February 13, 1900. Application filed August 12, 1899. Serial No. 727,058. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE J. CHAPMAN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Douching- Speculum, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to douching-speculums; and the intent and purpose of the same is to provide a simple form of speculum adapted for vaginal usage and which is so constructed as to entirely dispense with all surface projection or roughness and prevent tearing or injuring the tissues of the vaginal canal and regularly and thoroughly open the folds for washing or the administration of medicaments and hold the surface in distended condition for the unretarded egress of the injected fluids or liberated matter, as well as operative manipulations; to utilize it as an adjustable bivalve or dilator for different sizes of vaginas, and comprising a small number of parts,with minimized contact-surfaces, thereby affording an exposure of a large surface of the canal for inspection, irrigation, applications, or operations, and at the same time avoiding disturbance or entrance into the womb of antagonistic materials.

The invention contemplates in its organization a pair of tubular blades each comprising opposite parallel members having an interval between them sufficient to provide a broad blade rounded regularly at the entrance end and the rear extremities drawn together and both blades connected by hinged sleeves or similar devices supplied with an adjusting screw or other analogous element, the members of the blades being perforated and the rear ends attached to conduits emanating from a feeder of a syringe or other device.

The invention also consists of the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts,whioh will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure v1 is a perspective view of a speculum embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the connecting sleeves.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several vlews.

, The numerals 1 and 2 designate the two coacting blades of the speculum, made up of tubes shaped to provide parallel members 3 continuous with regularly-curved front or entrance ends 4, and at the rear the lower member of each blade is bent toward the other to form extensions 5, which are also parallel and embraced by sleeves 6. These sleeves have inwardly-projecting ears 7, which are reversely recessed and snugly interlock to provide a pivotal connection or hinge-joint 8. Each of the sleeves 6 also has a lug 9 and 10 near its front terminal, the lug 9 having a screw-threaded aperture therethrough to receive an adjusting-screw 11, provided with a milled head 11. The free end of said screw is adapted to bear on the lug 10 and is long enough to give the blades 1 and 2 considerable adjustable range. The terminals of the extension 5 are open, and over each pair is fitted the front end of a flexible conduit 13, both of the latter being applied to the ends of arms 14 of an intermediate rigid yoke 15. To this yoke is attached a feeder 16 from a suitable syringe or other supply device. By this means the blades 1 and 2 are quantitatively fed with water or other liquid, which forcefully exudes or sprays through perforations 17, formed in the members 3 and entrance ends 4.

In the use of the device the blades are drawn closely together and inserted in the vaginal canal and the latter afterward expanded to fully open any overlapping or folded tissue, and the blades are held in such position by the screw 11. The injection or introduction of liquids or medicinal substances may then be efiectively carried on, or investigations and operations may successfully ensue. The bearing-surfaces of the blades on the walls of the organ operated on being reduced to the lowest practicable degree will leave a very small part of the said wall excluded from examination or treatment.

It is preferred that the device be of metal, so as to be easily sterilized and prevent poisonous transmissions. The curvature of the blades is simple and designed to reduce to a minimum the friction on the fluids conveyed therethrough, and thereby producea stronger stream for efficacy in cleaning operations. Furthermore,the positions of the perforations in the blade members for the exit of the fluids are distributed'not only at the entrance ends, but along the parallel members, and so situated that the streams of liquid are thrown with force against the top, bottom, both sides, and end of the canal. The pivotal or hinge joint in the present instrument is located above the level of the blades, which allows the orifice or entrance to the canal to be dilated to its fullest extent and completely exposed and permits the unrestricted consummation of all operative proceedings, which is an important advantage in this class of de vices.

Many other advantages will become apparent in the use of the device, and to suit various applications changes in the proportions, size, and minor details can be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the numerous advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A speculum comprising a pair of perforated tubular blades having upper and lower straight parallel members continuous with regularly curved entrance ends, the rear portion'of thelower members being bent upwardly toward the upper members and both members at their rear endsin close relation inclined upwardly, the rear lower portions of the blades being unobstructed at any portion by connections and having a clear space between them, pivotally-connected sleeves on the rear upwardlyinclined members, and each provided with an upstanding lug at its lower extremity, a transversely-extendin g adjusting-screw movably mounted in one of the lugs and adapted to bear against the other for holding the blades apart, and means for simultaneously feeding both closely-arranged members of each of the blades.

2. A speculum comprising a pair of perforated tubular blades having upper and lower against the other, for holding the blades apart, and means for simultaneously feeding both members of the blades.

3. Aspeculum comprisinga pair of perforated tubular blades having rear closely-arranged upwardly-inclined parallel extremities, pivotally-connected sleeves on the said extremities, an adjusting-screw carried by one sleeve and adapted to bear against the other for holding the jaws apart, the sleeves and adjusting-screw being above the level of the blades, a feeder applied over each pair of the rear open ends of the extremities of the blades, and means for connecting and supplying the feeders.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' LEE J. CHAPMAN. Witnesses:

O. E. HALTERMAN, MYRTLE N. HALTERMAN. 

